Yankees sign stealing letter: Evidence to be revealed

A letter which allegedly proves MLB hid a sign-stealing scheme by the New York Yankees will finally be unsealed, per an appeals court.

The letter, which was initially brought up as evidence in a lawsuit against DraftKings, the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox related to money lost as a result of a sign-stealing scheme, potentially shows New York were more aware of their own mischievous actions back in 2017.

While the letter will be redacted to protect the identity of individual players, executives and coaches, if it contains any of what some have alleged, it could harm the reputation of the organization as a whole. And it’s been a tough offseason already for New York.

The letter — from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to New York GM Brian Cashman — was initially related to the Apple Watch scandal between the Yankees and Red Sox. However, it allegedly contains incriminating evidence against New York, as well.

The evidence should be released in near two weeks time, per NJ.com.

Yankees sign stealing: Letter has potential to harm reputation

New York president Randy Levine argued that the release of said letter would harm the reputation of individuals within the NYY organization. A judge dismissed that argument in court, however.

"“That argument, however, carries little weight,” the judge wrote. “Disclosure of the document will allow the public to independently assess MLB’s conclusion regarding the internal investigation (as articulated to the Yankees), and the Yankees are fully capable of disseminating their own views regarding the actual content of the Yankees Letter. In short, any purported distortions regarding the content of the Yankees Letter can be remedied by the widespread availability of the actual content of this judicial document to the public, and the corresponding ability of MLB and the Yankees to publicly comment on it.”"

At this point, anyone claiming to know what is actually in said letter is misleading, until it is actually unsealed in the weeks to come. For complete rulings, and what the judge said in this case, The Athletic (subscription required) has a more detailed report.

For reasons we do not yet know, New York argued against said evidence.